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Shock temperature measurement using neutron resonance spectroscopy.
V W Yuan1, J David Bowman, D J Funk
1Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA.
Physical Review Letters
|May 21, 2005
Summary
Researchers directly measured temperature in shocked metals using neutron resonance Doppler broadening. Tungsten-182 resonances in molybdenum targets revealed temperatures under extreme shock conditions.
Area of Science:
- Condensed matter physics
- Materials science
- Nuclear physics
Background:
- Accurate temperature measurement in materials under shock compression is crucial for understanding material behavior.
- Previous methods for determining temperature in shocked metals have limitations in precision and directness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To directly measure the temperature of molybdenum shocked to high pressures (approx. 63 GPa).
- To demonstrate the utility of neutron resonance Doppler broadening as a diagnostic tool for shocked materials.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the 21.1-eV resonance of tungsten-182 (182W) as a temperature-sensitive probe.
- Generated a planar shock in a molybdenum target using an explosively launched aluminum flyer.
- Probed the shocked material with a short pulse of resonant neutrons and analyzed time-of-flight data.
Main Results:
- Successfully measured the temperature of molybdenum shocked to approximately 63 GPa.
- The Doppler broadening of the 182W neutron resonance provided a direct temperature reading.
Conclusions:
- Neutron resonance Doppler broadening is a viable and direct method for measuring temperature in shocked metals.
- This technique offers a new pathway for studying material properties under extreme dynamic compression.